Air cooling and circulating device



G. L. IVIENK.

AIR COOLING AND CIRCULATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1919.

Patented Auf. 8, 1922.

y Faja? @ya l l S GEORGE L, M E'NK, OF ST. LOU'lS, MISSOURI .AIR COOLING AND CERCULATING- DEVICE.

itpplicatoii ied laterali 20, 1319.

which the following` is a specification.

This invention relates to air cooling and circulating devices. It has for its objects to produce a novel apparatus or device which may be made attractive and ornamental in apperance as well as structurally efficient to cool and circulate the air in an auditorium, theatre, or other room or place of assemblage where it may be desirable to reduce the temperature.,

The invention consists essentially in a hollow column or vertically disposed tubular shell through which the air is drawn in at the base portion thereof and passed in contact with a cooling agent or medium by me* chanical means, and thence forced out latere ally at or near the top. It further consists in the parts and in the combinations and arrangements of parts as set forth in the following description and afterwardsA pointed out with particularity in the appended claims.

A. practical adaptation of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying` drawing, the sole figure of which shows the apparatus in vertical section.

Referring now to this drawing, the numeral l designates the hollow column or vertically disposed tubular shell which may be constructed of sheet metal, wood or other suitable material. As shown, the column is made sufficiently laroe in diameter at its base to afford a steady footing, and it is preferably tapered towards the top so to avoid top-heaviness. i

Above the restricted throat 2 where the taper ceases, the shell is flared, as at 3, to constitute a mout-h, and cooperating therewith is a cover-plate or closure il, the mai'- ginal portion of which projects beyond the circumference of the lip and serves as a deflector as will later more fully appear.

rlhe cover-plate or closure 4 may be adjustably mounted in any desirable manner, but, as shown, it is preferably provided with a screw-threaded axial stem 5 which works through a spider or other suitable support 6 provided therefor within the mouth or the throat of the column; and a knob 7 provided for convenience in manipulation.

elite'.

in the lower part of the hollow column l is a truste-conical,hollow stand 8 on which an electric or other suitable motor 9 is mounted with its shaft disposed vertically and having thereon fan-blades l0 set to drive the air upward in the column. rllhis hollow stand El is closed'at the top, but is open at the bottom where it is of an outside diameter to fit just inside' the'adjacent edge of the column l. The two shells l and 8 may be fastened together in anysuitable manner, but, preferably by the bolts li, as shown.

in use, when the device is stood on a flat supporting surface, the hollow shell 8 constitutes a closed chainberin which may lbe placed a pan l2 containing` a cake or block of ice 13 so as to chill the air within and the shell itself. Consequently, by providing a multiplicity of intake openings lelnear kthe lower end of the'outer shell l, the air drawn into said outer shell by the action of the fanblades lO travels in Contact with said inner shell 8 and is thereby cooled, after which it is forced out through a series of apertures l5 provided near the top of the column and below the restricted throat 2.

The chilled air discharged through the apertures l5 is dissipated laterally at a considerable elevation from the floor and at least above the heads of the occupants of the room and causing a circulation of the air in therooin. The cover-plate i may be closed entirely during` the operation of the device or opened to any desirable degree to allow more or less air to be forced out of the column, the overhanging marginal. 'portion of said cover-plate acting to deflect the discharged air laterally. The device iii-ay also be used to facilitate forced ventilation by taking in the air from outside of the room, it being;` only necessary to apply a suitable conduit to the openings 14 of the column 1 so as to supply pure air as well modify the vtemperature in warm weather.

In practice the intalre openings la are preferably of larger area combinedly than the openings l5 so that the air is forced out through the latter under pressure, and any relief therefrom or to equalize the intake and outlet may be brought about by adjustment of the cover-plate 4;..

rlhere is no circulation or commingling of the air in the inner shell 8 with that in the outer shell l, but a vent aperture or a series 1G thereof may be provided near the bottom of said. inner shell 8.

`provided therein.

as shown, horizontally disposed cross- .tubes 17 are provided in the inner shell 8,

so that some of the air in theouter shell 1 may pass therethrough, and whereby the contactual surface oi' the cooling` elementis materially increased.

Preferably, a base-pan or tray 18, having an upturned marginal flange 19, is provided' to support the ice-pan 12, and.' upon which also theinner and outer shells 1 and 8 are detachably seated. By this arrangement, of course, the shells have to be lifted oil the base-pan or tray to place or remove theice-pan, but it is obvious that in some casesfdoors-may be provided in the shells sothat access may be had to the interior ot' the inner shell without disturbing the position of the device. So, too, an opening 2O may be provided in the outer shell lfin the regionof the motor `9 to gain access to the latter, which opening` may .be kept norm ally closedby a sleeve 21 or a suitable door.`

The column maybe ornamented in vari- 4ous ways as an attractive article oi 'turni-v ture, and it may be placed conveniently in the room where it will not obstruct vision. 0n it may be mounted electric lamps 22, vas

shown, which may be colored. desired,y

particularly when the device is used in a motion picture theatre, in which case they may be red or green as lights are now usually So, too, the device may be used as a display stand, and flags 23 may be `mounted adjacent to the vapertures 15 soA the speci-lic structureshown in the drawing.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1.*In a device ot the character described, ahollow column which tapers upward, terminating with a restricted throat and 'flared mouth, an adjustable closure Yfor said mouth, a cooling element in the lowerxportion ot said column, and 'mechanical means For cre-A ating a forced draft vupward through said column, said column having air intake openings near its bottom whereby the air entering the column passesl in contact with said i ,Areas-aa element comprising a hollow radiating shell,

located in the lower part of said column s0 that the air entering the column comes in contact with thesuriface ot said shell, and a motor-actuated 'lian mounted in said'column intermediate said rshell and the. air outlet of the column and arranged toy drive the air up ward. y

3. ln a device oit the character described, alhollow column which tapers upward, a cooling` element in the ylower part of said column, vthe same comprising a closed'hollow shell which tapers upward and is provided with transverse tubes extending therethrough, mechanical means for creating a forced draft upward through said column, and said columnhaving an annular series ot apertures near its bottom and a similar series ot apertures near its top, the upper end portion ol? said column terminating with a liared mouth and having a closure whose marginal portion overhangs tlielipthereof, said closure being adjustably mountedlongitudinally"withk respect to the axis oi the column.V

4L. A portable air cooling and circulating device,.comprising va base-pan, a hollow, upwardly tapering column supported on said base-painsaid column having an air intake near its bottom and an outlet near its top,

a hollow, upwardly tapering shell closed,k throughout except at its bottom, thebottom edge portion of said shell fitting the bottom edge portion ol2 said column, saidA shell adapted to contain a relirigerating agent supported on said base-pan, and mechanical ymeans 'lor creating a iliorced diarit` upward through said columnwliereby the air entering the column passes in contact with the outer surface oi2 said shell and is discharged in chilled. conditions through the outlet of said column.l

. `bigned at St. Louis, Missouri, this 12th day oi March, 1919.

eno. L. Munir." 

